The Vampire Diaries is introducing some new blood — including its first-ever teen gay character.

The CW series has tapped Chris Brochu (CSI: NY, NCIS: LA) to recur as Luke, a charming gay student at Whitmore with a secret agenda who bonds with Elena and Caroline.

Meanwhile, Heather Hemmens (Hellcats) is joining the cast as Enzo’s love interest, Maggie, who was first mentioned earlier this season as Dr. Whitmore’s former lab assistant in 1953, reports E! Online. She will make her debut in Episode 19.

Lastly, Raffi Barsoumian has landed a major arc as Markos, an imposing and charismatic presence with supernatural origins, per our sister site Deadline.

Read for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…

• Wendell Pierce (The Michael J. Fox Show, The Wire) has nabbed a recurring role on Season 2 of Ray Donovan. He’ll play Mr. Keith, a down on his luck parole officer who gets a payoff from Ray. The Showtime series is slated to return this summer.

• Drop Dead Diva has tapped Pretty Little Liars‘ Janel Parrish to guest as a cheerleader who finds viral video fame after someone captures her epic on-field meltdown on camera, per EW.com. The final season of the Lifetime dramedy premieres March 23 at 9/8c.

• May the force be with you, Goldbergs. Thomas Lennon (How I Met Your Mother, Reno 911!) will visit the ABC comedy, playing a die-hard Star Wars fan who encounters Adam and Erica in line for the opening of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, reports TVGuide.com.

• James Brolin (Castle) will guest-star on the Hallmark Channel original series When Calls the Heart, per The Hollywood Reporter. He will play circuit judge Jedidiah Black in the March 29 season finale.

this is intersting, I never saw it that way – this could have been so great.

I’m getting the feeling, CW is “gaying it up” a bit this season – Roman’s sister on “star-crossed” is gay, “the Orignals” has one gay dude who they haven’t killed off yet… Well, better late than never!

Or was I just not watching the right CW-shows? Someone else I am missing? I don’t watch “Arrow” or “Reign” – someone gay over there?

I think it’s good that The Vampire Diaries is introducing a gay character.I can’t wait to see what the show has planned for him because i don’t want it to turn out that they are bringing him on just to get publicity or something.

Well I hope the best for him, he might have a chance on account of the gay character on “The Originals” is still alive with little to no screen time, but alive nonetheless, let’s just hope this cutie keeps his heart in his chest or his neck in one piece, and it’ll be pretty boring with him having no live interest ..

I hope this character is integrated well with the core cast. Not like the April Young character that was a complete surprise to the viewers; while the cast pretended she was there all along. Where is she now? Don’t miss her one bit.
On the other hand, love interest for Enzo? That’s great. means he’ll be sticking around for a while.

What the hell! Why does EVERY tv show have to have a freakin gay person now or considering having a gay person! So fine, your gay, you want to marry, you sue people/businesses for not catering to your needs but do you have to shove this gay crap down our throats and put them on all shows? Confusing growing kids and teens? Making them wonder what type o relationship to have? Question their sexuality? This is bull crap and needs to stop. Live YOUR lives privately and stop pushing this subject, eventually it will backfire if you keep it up!